The Joy of the Lord

Warning this is a long one....for those of you who don't like to read the long ones...you can stop now! :0)

"The Joy of the Lord shall be my Strength"

When you think of this scripture what does the part " Joy of the Lord" mean to you
Does it mean a Joy that only the Lord can give.....Does it mean a joy that comes from salvation and being of the Lord....Does it mean a joy that comes from the Lord being apart of our lives...Could it be all of the above and more?

Although God is obviously many, many, many things to me in many different ways....if I had to choose one thing about God that has seemed to be so largely evident time and time again....it would be the Joy of the Lord! Through all the bumps in the road, I can look back and say that the joy of the Lord has always been what pulls me through! I have always, through the joy of the Lord been able to, at some point, be positive about each trial that has come my way! And because of the Joy of the Lord, I have come to a place that I wouldn't take away the things that I have been through because of what I have learned, how I have grown, and how it has all brought me closer to my God! The Joy of the Lord has a way of numbing the pain as it is going on around us...he doesn't take it away because it must come to cause us to grow. It is like having an operation...no one wants one...however we know we must in order better ourselves...however there are shots and medicines that can numb us or knock us out while it takes place....although we do not feel it, it is however still taking place. The joy of the Lord is like the shot, it helps us be able to get through the circumstances that life brings and that God allows for the growth of our character and walk with Him!

As the new year has rolled in, I have been praying about the "Constant" that God has for me this year....I know that everyday is new, and that I am going to be growing in new ways and will face new trials...however I found that with God there tends to always be something that seems to be a thread through it all, something that is the glue to all the pieces that God has for the year. Today as I have been working at my desk and listening to God and asking more of Him....two songs came on the radio within a 20min time frame, both in which were about the Joy of the Lord. And as I listened God spoke. God told me that this year the Joy of the Lord will be my strength. At first I wondered....and thought to myself..."now I am not complaining or anything...but I was excited for something new in my life...seeing how it is a new year and it is usually exciting to experience something new and all." Then God spoke again....(which is the part when we realize that we should of just listened a bit longer and trusted that God had nothing but the best in store for us)... God said that in the past my strength has come by finding joy in all that God is, and all the things that God He has been teaching me, and in all that God has been doing in my life. All that God has been to me, gives me joy and in turn has given me strength for any situation.
Then God revealed the new part....He opened my eyes to understand something new.That this is a year that I will receive strength when I find joy in the things that my Father finds joy in! Not that the Father doesn't find joy in the fact, that I find joy in Him, however there are many things that our Father finds joy in that we don't know about or that we don't naturally think of as something that could bring Joy. God, I believe is going to open my eyes to bigger things this year...things that bring Him joy. Things that may not seem like things that bring me joy, but will in turn become a joy to me as well. I have a feeling that it is going to be a year of dying to self more than I ever have....because I believe that God is going to reveal to me things that He finds joy in that are going to require me, to give my time to in order to bring that very joy to God. I can't really put all this into words so if this confused anyone I am not surprised. However if anyone did understand this long entry and is experiencing God speaking to you for the year as well, I would love to hear what God is speaking to all of my friends about this year. I am excited to hear just an ounce of what our Father has in store for you!